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The wife of a former Boeing employee who fell to his death recently received a massive payout of $8.8 million after a jury found the airplane manufacturing company legally responsible for his death.

David Priester Jr. worked for the company for a few years before his tragic fall in March 2013. The lawsuit, filed on his behalf by widow Lisa Priester, listed SAR Automation as a defendant, alleging that its design led to the death of her husband. Lisa and her legal team detailed how the sliders that Priester had been working on malfunctioned due to SAR Automation's reformed computer system under the nose of Boeing. The company's modification to the computer system had created a gap in the mobile platform, which was a hazard for employees during the airplane manufacturing process. While David Priester Jr. was working, he fell 18 feet from the mobile platform that he was standing on.

After being rushed to the hospital, medical professionals declared that he had sustained a severe traumatic brain injury and that he didn't have a strong likelihood of surviving it. Eleven days after the fall, he passed away. He was only 38 years old.

The lawsuit also argued that during SAR Automation's unauthorized installation, the company failed to install software that could warn employees of danger, such as horns, emergency lighting, and other safety features. Linda Priester claims that had these mechanisms been installed, they could have saved her husband's life. As such, SAR Automation acted negligently by not providing these features.

“It's been over four years since David's tragic death,” Linda Priester said in a statement. “This verdict sends a message to employers that men and women deserve to work in a safe environment. My hope is that this tragedy will result in better worker protection at Boeing and other manufacturers in South Carolina. On behalf of David's family, I am so grateful that the jury vindicated David.”

Experienced North Carolina Personal Injury Defense Attorneys

Coping with the death of a family member or loved one is hard enough. Having to wrestle with the fact that this passing could have been prevented if another party would have fulfilled its duty undoubtedly makes coping in the aftermath of a death even harder. If you believe that the death of your loved one was caused by the negligence or recklessness of another individual, company or entity, you have the constitutional right to seek a legal remedy. Although monetary compensation may not bring your family member back, it can provide some consolation and closure for you and other loved ones who are grieving. Let us handle the legal obligations for you. Contact Caulder & Valentine today for a free consultation.

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About the Author

All through my life, I have personally witnessed family members and very close friends endure divorce, child custody battles, bankruptcy, civil lawsuits and even fraudulent criminal accusations. I both saw and experienced the stress such events can place on an individual, and I realized that everyone, at some point in their life, needs hope, comfort, and encouragement. In each one of those situations, the person that was best situated to provide that vital support was their lawyer. So that's why I became an attorney. I understand what you are going through—and I'm here to help you. Our office is focused on meeting your needs and guiding you through what may be the most difficult time of your life.
Before attending law school, I worked for a law firm focused on record clearing services, including expungements, pardons, and motions for appropriate relief. The vast experience and understanding of North Carolina's expungement laws that I have acquired has given me an advantage in defending criminal charges, because not only do I fight for the best possible outcome in your case, but I am also continually conscious of the long term effects that a criminal charge or conviction can have on a person's life. As such, I will do whatever I can to insure that my clients will not end up with a criminal record.
I was born in New London, Connecticut, but spent the first few years of my life in Dallas, Texas, before moving to Rutherfordton, North Carolina in 2001. Upon graduating from high school, I attended Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, North Carolina, where I majored in Accounting. Eager to finish school, I began law school at Charlotte School of Law the day of my graduation from GWU, and completed my law degree in two years (instead of the typical three). During law school, I studied hard and strived to acquire the most experience possible so that I would be practice ready upon graduation. The opportunities I gained included prosecuting criminal defendants through an externship with the Burke County District Attorney's Office, defending criminal defendants through Charlotte School of Law's Criminal Justice Clinic, and interning with Farmer & Morris, PLLC.
I am blessed with a beautiful wife, Gabrielle Valentine, who is an attorney at Farmer & Morris, PLLC, in Rutherfordton, North Carolina. In my free time, I enjoy helping with the youth group in my church, playing basketball and softball in our local church leagues, serving in the prison ministry, and spending time with my family.
Education:
Charlotte School of Law
J.D., Magna Cum Laude
Class Rank – 21 of 328
Associate Editor of Charlotte School of Law Law Review
Certification and Concentration in Employment Law
Phi Delta Phi International Legal Honor Society
Order of the Crown
Pro Bono Honors
CALI Awards (Highest Grade)—Lawyering Process I and Contracts I
Full Scholarship
Gardner-Webb University
B.S. in Accounting, Summa Cum Laude
Distinguished Senior Student Award – Highest GPA
Alpha Sigma Lambda National Honorary Society
Bar Admissions:
North Carolina State Bar